Christmas Wrap Station

Can you believe we are almost half way done with November!? This time of year always flies by and before you know it Christmas is right around the corner! I love it. :) Last December, however, I wasn’t feeling quite so jolly. The month got away from me and I was scrambling big time towards the end of December to get my shopping done. Stores were crazy and I felt so rushed. Then I spent two painful evenings staying up all hours of the night trying to get everything wrapped. While Kenny munched on Cheerios. I was less than impressed. With both of us!

Here’s a glimpse of that midnight madness wrapping party. Cheerios and all. I swore to myself never again. Next year I would be so prepared! I would get all of my shopping done in November! I would wrap everything as soon as I bought it! Then I could sit back and enjoy the holidays knowing that I was on top of things. I would spend the last few nights of December cozying up to the fire and the Christmas tree watching It’s a Wonderful Life instead of destroying my house in a mad rush to get everything finished.

So here’s a little something I did this year to help me accomplish just that.

Remember a while back I posted pics of my messy scrapbook room? I had big plans for this space.

I moved most of my scrapbook supplies into Kole’s closet. He just loves sharing a room with me.

Then I turned my scrapbook space into a Christmas wrap station! It’s actually a Christmas wrap and scrapbooking station because my goal is to do a little of both during the next month and a half.

Doesn’t it look festive for the holiday!?

Here’s how I created a space that will be perfect to wrap all of my gifts. Immediately after I buy them!

There are so many fun organizers that corral wrapping paper but I really wanted to just use what I had on hand. My little trash can was a perfect solution! Now all of my Christmas wrapping paper is in one place ready to go.

(See those white boxes on the floor – new Project Life kits that will be a priority after the holidays!)

I replaced my regular scrapbook paper with all of my Christmas paper and used the bottom slots to hold more wrapping paper and tissue paper. That was a lot of the word paper…

On top I put out some Christmas letter stickers I hope to use and a shiny Christmas tree to spruce things up!

I filled some organizers with pens, scissors, tape, and Christmas cards so everything is ready to go when it’s time to wrap.

I also hung some fun Christmas scrapbook paper…

and this Christmas picture collage I made of my girls a couple of years ago.

I set out my i pod with my favorite Christmas mix ready to play! The red album is a family Christmas album I started a few years ago and I’m hoping I can squeeze in a minute here and there to work on it. It never sounds appealing to work on this album after the holidays so I need to find the time to do it now while all things Christmas are so appealing! Hopefully this happy space will help motivate me.

I also brought a little Christmas cheer into this corner of the room!

Easy to do by hanging some Christmas inspiration from magazines on the wall.

On the other wall I displayed past Christmas pictures and last years’ Christmas card.

Then I turned Kole’s changing table into a place to store more of my wrapping supplies.

(It’s not like he was holding still for me on this thing anyway!)

I already had these fun galvanized bins that match the room and I knew they’d be perfect to house more of my supplies.

Even though I seem to be taking it over one scrapbook (or should I say Christmas) supply at a time.

Now my gift wrapping supplies are all together and I have to say that I have loved this space! Not only is it a perfect spot to easily wrap all of my presents, but it also brings a little Christmas cheer to the upstairs of our house. I find myself wanting to turn on a Christmas tune or two and stay in here a while whenever I get the chance.

No more midnight wrapping parties for me! This year I am going to be ready for December.

Hey Erin! I love it…the organizer in me feels happy just looking at your pics!! :) This weekend I broke out the SB supplies for the first time in months. I set up our girls 0-1 year baby books using Becky H.’s sweet baby kit (split one kit btw. the two) so now I can just slide those pics in when they are printed out. I think I like the whole kit concept…makes scrapbooking for a family of 5 MUCH easier. Random, I have been looking for the perfect shade of green for our girls’ room…would you please share the color of Kole’s room if you can think of it? We live an a small house and I always enjoy seeing how you maximize your space, thank you for sharing!

Love all of your organizational ideas. You really should write a book about organizing or write a monthly column for Martha Stewart or Oprah magazine. I know it seems easy to you, but not to most people. You also need to have a craft/wrapping room in your next house. I am organized, but not like you! ;)

I am totally shopping early as well this year. I tend to leave Christmas shopping to the last minute each year and I kick myself as I am dealing with all those crowds and pushy people. People are not at their best during the Holidays and I want to relax and stay away from that drama.

I have a huge bin in the garage where I store the kid’s presents till Christmas eve. I wrap them as I get them (while they are at school) and I have very specific paper for santa wrap that the kids never see. It makes it easy when Christmas eve comes because we already have everything wrapped and ready to go. My 11 year old still believes in Santa (I think) but it’s getting harder each year to keep the tradition alive as she is so excited that she stays up till 12:00. We have to wait till she is asleep till we can move out all the santa presents and eat the cookies etc. It proves to be exhausting but so worth it! I love Christmas and can’t wait till the day after Thanksgiving so I can start decorating :) So fun!

WTG on being so organized! My scrap space is such a mess right now! I was on a Design Team for an online store but she is closing it down so I have all this product I need to get incorporated into my regular stash…I had no idea I had so much stuff! I keep walking in to the office to clean up, then I look at it all and turn around and walk out! LOL! I am getting organized with my gifts and wrapping this week…although we won’t have too many to wrap so it should be too overwhelming this year…at least in theory anyway ;)

Love reading your blog! You mentioned your new project life kits. If you dont mind, can you tell me what kit you bought. I am planning on starting a PL album but i am a little overwhelmed with the choices…mainly the page protectors…maybe best to get the value pack to try out the different layouts…any advice…..thank you:)

Erin – I’m so happy you’ve discovered Hardtail! That brand is the best!

Sarah – YEA for breaking out the scrapbook supplies! I have the baby kit too for Kole…still waiting for me to do something with it! The color of green in that room I actually don’t have a name for. I took one of those green bins I have on Kole’s changing table to the paint store and had them match the color to it. I still have some of that paint though so if you want to e-mail me your address I will send you a little sample of it so you can match it!

For those of you who asked about Kole — YES! He is totally into everything. He doesn’t mess with anything on my desk (can’t really reach) but he has already pulled out the wrapping paper a time or two. He pulls out everything everywhere so I’m just rolling with it and constantly cleaning up after him!

Anonymous – About the PL kits…. I bought mine when Becky first released them almost a year ago! So I just got the complete kits – two Amber editions for my girls and a Turquoise edition for Kole. I kind of wish I would have waited though because I like the new sleeker binders better! May still buy those. I’d recommend just getting the value pack for your first album. Then you’ll figure out which protectors you prefer and can stock up on more of those as you need them. :)

You so inspired me this morning that I just got done wrapping the 20+ gifts I have already for the big day. Each of my 5 kids buy a little some for the others and I think they have all had so much fun finding stuff for each other that they are already done, and now I have them all wrapped too!! I feel so good about this year!!!

Oh man, I have those crazy last minute wrapping parties late into the night every. single. year. I also dream about just relaxing & enjoying those last few evenings leading up to the big day, so I’m going to try to be more organized this year too!

I’d also be interested to know what goodies are on your girls’ wish lists this year. I have a 6 & a 3 year old and while they have plenty of “wishes”, I get a little nervous buying stuff this early in case the wish order changes! Xia-Xia crabs seem to be a definite at this point though….and apparently a hot ticket item this year so I already have those. Barbies also seem to be featuring prominently (I think the new Barbie Christmas movie hooked them) and in particular the RV camper. Seriously, that thing is awesome, where was that when I was a Barbie-lovin’ kid?! Alas, I just had the canopy bed and the bath….and longed for the sports car ;)

When do you plan on breaking out all the Chrissy decorations, before or after Thanksgiving?

you are ready!!!! yea…I am lucky enough to have a large room that is all mine! Craft/Scrapbook/office room and in one niche I have a wrap area…similiar to what you have done and it DOES make all the difference to be organized and to wrap as you go…:) now, if the room just had a fireplace for Christmas ambianace…I’d be all set

Way to go…I think having an area is a great idea. My goal is to get stuff ready this week so I can jump right into prepping for Christmas. I am so behind and haven’t even started my cards. Are you making cards this year?

I can so relate! I spent many a late nights wrapping gifts like a mad woman!! Now that our girls are older, I can wrap as I purchase and put them out (they are 18 and 21). We just recently finished our basement and I am ready to turn the art room down there into a wrapping station as well!

Could not relate more! In fact, I am nearly done with shopping. I just cannot get much done with two little ones in tow so I took friday night and went out and did some shopping. I have done a bunch online too!

Honestly Erin, this is inspiring! I so need to do this so that I’m not rushing around at the last minute as well. I do have some shopping done already but it’s just shoved in my closet. And also, thanks for the reminder that I need to get my Project Life ordered for next year before it’s gone! :)

Thank you for the inspiration!! I’m so setting up a wrapping station, I too was up until after midnight on the eve of Christmas eve doing all the wrapping. Not this year!! I’ve already purchased gifts and will have them wrapped before the weekend, thanks to you!!

Oh Erin – how I love your blog! You are just absolutely adorable and incredibly inspiring! I love going back to your older posts…..I love an organized space I just can’t get enough especially the before & after pics they are so motivating for me!! However after seeing all the great stuff you’ve purchased from The container Store my bank account is NOT very happy with me! LOL…….Looking forward to a lot more fantastic posts from you in 2012!! Keep up the good work! :)

Welcome to Sunny Side Up where I share my obsession with organization and my love for home design and decor. My husband and I just finished building a house and I can't wait to put my spin on the place and share it all with you. I have three little ones and love everything about motherhood. Except the cooking. I've never enjoyed the cooking. :) Like the city we live in, things are generally pretty sunny around here. Thanks for stopping by!